ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · sharp · mug · stock · kid · season · land · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. season — in sport
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stock — goods
  6. kid — child
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. land — to come down
  10. season — of the year
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mug — a face
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. land — ground
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. land — a country
  20. wake — a trail
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. kid — to tease

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com